HB 2668 — Directing the relocation of the Bob Oke game farm.

H-3401.1H-3155.1 SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2668 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session By House Agriculture & Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representatives Orcutt and Abbarno)Abbarno READRead FIRSTfirst TIMEtime 02/04/26.01/26/26.

Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources.

adding a new chaptersections to Titlechapter 7777.12 RCW;

and providingcreating ana expirationnew date.section.

(1) The legislature finds that protecting public health and the safety of municipal and private drinking water supplies is a fundamental responsibility of the state.

(2) The legislature further finds that the Bob Oke game farm is located over a highly productive and hydrologically sensitive aquifer system that flows toward residential and municipal water supply areas.

1 SHBHB 2668 in the department of ecology's concentrated animal feeding operation permitting program, the legislature finds that continued operation at the current site presents an ongoing risk of future impacts to drinking water supplies that cannot be fully mitigated through best management practices alone.

(3) The legislature therefore declares that it is in the public interest to move the Bob Oke game farm to an alternate location where pheasant rearing and associated operations can be conducted without risk of contaminating municipal or residential drinking water sources.

(4) It is further the intent of the legislature to ensure that the existing site is remediated to protect groundwater quality, to prevent further nitrate loading to the aquifer, and to restore the property for future use consistent with the protection of public water supplies and surrounding communities.

A new section is added to chapter 77.12 RCW to read as follows:

(3)(3)(a) "Department""Public water system" means theany departmentsystem providing water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances, including any collection, treatment, storage, or distribution facilities under control of fishthe purveyor and wildlife.used primarily in p.

(4)(a)2 "PublicHB water2668 system"connection meanswith any system providing water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances, including any collection, treatment, storage, or distribution facilities under control of the purveyorsystem. and used primarily in p.

2 SHB 2668 connection with the system.

(1)A Thenew departmentsection shallis identifyadded oneto orchapter more77.12 alternateRCW locationsto potentiallyread suitableas forfollows: the relocation of the Bob Oke game farm.

(1) The department, in coordination with the department of enterprise services, shall identify one or more alternate locations suitable for the relocation of the Bob Oke game farm.

By(2) DecemberIn 1,identifying 2026,alternate thelocations, department shall report the listdepartments toshall: the committees of the house of representatives and the senate with jurisdiction over the capital appropriations act and the senator and members of the house of representatives representing the legislative district in which the Bob Oke game farm is located.

(2) To evaluate potential alternate locations, the department shall submit a capital appropriations request for the 2027-2029 biennial capital appropriations act for predesign to:

p.(3) All expenses incurred for assessments, studies, evaluations, and analyses conducted under this section must be paid from existing appropriations and resources of the department and the department of enterprise services.

3Nothing SHBin 2668this (3)section Atauthorizes the conclusionp. of the predesign, the department shall submit a relocation report to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature.

In3 additionHB 2668 departments to officeseek ofor financialexpend managementnew predesignappropriations criteria,for the reportpurpose mustof include:site assessment or evaluation.

(a)(4) ABy summaryDecember of31, sites2026, identifiedthe department and evaluatedthe department of enterprise services shall submit a joint relocation report to the governor and the criteriaappropriate used;committees of the legislature.

(b)The Areport recommendationmust ofinclude: a preferred location;

(a) A summary of sites evaluated and the criteria used;

(b) Identification of a preferred alternate location;

(e) Concept-levelEstimated developmentcapital plans;and operating costs;

and (f) EstimatedAny capitalstatutory andor operatingbudgetary costs;actions required to complete the relocation.

and (g) Any statutory or budgetary actions required to complete the relocation.

(4) Once a preferred location has been identified, the department shall submit a capital appropriations request for the 2029-2031 biennial capital appropriations act to request funding needed to relocate the Bob Oke game farm to the preferred location.

The department shall continue to seek funding until the game farm has been relocated.

(1)A Thenew departmentsection shallis submitadded ato capitalchapter appropriations77.12 requestRCW for the 2027-2029 biennial capital appropriations act to completeread designas workfollows: associated with the remediation of the existing location of the Bob Oke game farm.

Design(1) willWithin include60 workdays toof bethe doneeffective priordate toof closurethis section, the department shall commence the relocation process by initiating procurement, site acquisition or leasing actions, and workoperational totransition beplanning donefor uponthe closure.preferred alternate location identified in the report required under section 3 of this act.

(2) The department shall complete the relocation of pheasant rearing and associated operations to the alternate location no later than 36 months after the effective date of this section, unless the legislature authorizes an extension by statute.

(3) During the transition period, the department shall prioritize actions that immediately reduce nutrient and manure loading to the underlying aquifer, including further reductions in bird populations, expanded manure collection and off-site disposal, and increased groundwater monitoring.

(4) The department may continue limited operations at the current site only to the extent necessary to maintain continuity of wildlife management and release programs until the alternate location becomes operational, and only if such operations comply with applicable water quality and pollution prevention requirements.

NEW SECTION.

Sec.

5.

A new section is added to chapter 77.12 RCW to read as follows:

p.

4 HB 2668 (1) The department, in coordination with the department of ecology and the department of enterprise services, shall develop and implement a remediation plan for the Bob Oke game farm site.